Picta's Dragon
by BlackBlackBlue
Summary: Halt and his apprentice end up in Picta, where a furious dragon and troublesome tribe chiefs are wrecking havoc across the land. But when the dragon strikes out, Halt finds himself alone and in search of his dying apprentice. Angsty but PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Will was trapped.

Completely and utterly trapped. There was no way back, no way forward and definitely no way down. Below him lay a roaring waterfall, sticking straight out of the cliff he was now stuck on. Below, in the churning grey storm of water lay an assortment of jagged rocks, which would surely be the end of him if he decided to jump.

But for Will, 3rd year apprentice, Redmount ward and recently rescued slave, there seemed to be no other way out. The beast was nearing, and it sounded terrifyingly furious. Perhaps shooting an arrow straight into it's left eye hadn't been such a good idea, but then again it was all Will had.

When Halt dragged him off for 'official business' in Picta, the mystical land north of Araluen, the thought of fighting the last of the dragons hadn't even crossed Will's mind. And it had no reason to because, after all, dragons had always been part of stories. Fiction, nothing more.

Except now it seemed. Now the scarlet devil was tearing down upon him as Will crouched unprotected besides a lonely boulder. His bow was gone, torched into ashes by the foul monster, and Halt was nowhere to be seen. Wiping a trail of blood from his cheek, Will cursed himself furiously, sincerely regretting his stupidity. He was alone, weapon-less and sure to be dragon meat any moment now.

The dragon obviously thought so too, screeching its victory as it lashed out with its talons. Will dived to the left, barely avoiding the lethal claws as thy swatted his boulder away. It tumbled over the edge, spraying a cloud of limestone in its wake and leaving Will well and truly done for.

" I don't want to die, damn it!" Will growled, livid at himself for getting himself into this situation " God, I'm so _stupid..!"_

The dragon screamed its approval, releasing a torrent of fire onto him. Will hurried to get out of the way, but he wasn't quick enough and a stream of fire hit his shoulder, burning through his cloak and onto his skin. He yelled in agony, patting out the flames and blinking hurriedly to get rid of the tears that sprang to his eyes. The monster took a breath in, obviously preparing for its lethal final strike. Will knew he wouldn't get out of the way of this one, not with an injured shoulder.

So he did what he had trained to do all those months ago at the cottage besides Redmount. Drawing his saxe knife, his last weapon, he took aim with his uninjured arm, aimed and threw.

Bullseye. It smacked straight into the dragons right eye, rendering it blind. Its scream was unholy and unnaturally human, making Will draw back in horror. The beast completely lost its mind, shrieking and shrieking and waving its limbs around in an uncontrollable whirlwind. The surface of the cliff soon became a dust storm, and it began to groan too. It was crumbling, soon to fall straight into the far off jagged rocks. And not only that, but Will was soon effectively blind too, coughing horribly as the dust invaded his airways. He dragged his way onto the edge of the cliff, safely away from the dragons claws but with the thunderous roar of the falls in his ears.

Another heart-jerking lurch as the cliff began to break up. With his heart in his mouth, and tears fresh in his eyes, Will stood unsteadily at the edge of the cliff.

'_Halt's going to kill me, providing I don't kill myself first' _Will thought vaguely, before taking a huge gulp of air and throwing himself off the edge.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

* * *

Halt couldn't find his apprentice , and it was making him feel the beginnings of a nagging worry somewhere deep inside his stomach. Normally, he would have trusted Will's ability to look after himself, but he doubted that even the mightiest army could defeat the raging dragon.

Three minutes he waited, three whole adrenaline-filled minutes for his apprentice to meet him by the edge of the forest, just as they had agreed. But Will was a no-show, and some primeval instinct was telling Halt that something must have gone terribly wrong. His chest was in a nervous knot, and Tug was echoing his mood, pawing at the ground impatiently and neighing anxiously.

_'He's supposed to be here by now!'_ Halt imagined him saying _'Go and look for him man, what's the matter with you?!'_

Halt bit his lip, pondering on whether to dash back in for a desperate rescue attempt, but the shriek that suddenly filled the valley was the only answer he needed. His heart jerked with a very real fear, and he whirled Abelard around immediately, galloping towards the falls without a second thought.

Another scream, and Halt was beginning to panic as he saw a mighty brawl on top of the cliff, and flashes of dragon limbs. But suddenly something appeared amongst the dust, and even from 500 metres away, Halt could recognize his ward's slight frame. Will seemed to hesitate at the edge, clutching his left shoulder as if he was injured. Steady trickles of dust was falling from the cliff face, and although Halt was no expert, he knew it was only a matter of minutes before the whole thing gave way.

The realisation of what was about him suddenly struck him like a hammer blow,just as Will began his jump and began to plummet towards the chaotic pool.

" NO!" Halt bellowed, his throat feeling as though it was being torn apart "NO WILL, NO! GO BACK!"

But of course Will couldn't hear him, and of course he couldn't turn back now. So Halt watched with searing horror as the foam claimed him and he disappeared from view.

* * *

**AN: Will's not dead by the way, and this is going to be more than just a recovery story. I can't wait to continue with this,so please review!**

**I'll explain the whole dragon thing in later chapters, and I can't wait!**

**Reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

Pump. Pump. Breathe. Pump. Pump. Breathe. Pump...

Water ran in rivulets down Halt's forehead, mixing in with the salty liquid seeping out of his eyes. Pump. Pump. Breathe... He had tried for the last few minutes but there was no sign of life in his apprentice's pale face. His head hung limply on his neck, and a steady stream of blood flowed down his left temple from a nasty looking gash above his eyebrow. Halt had no doubt Will would have concussion, at least, he would if he would just _breathe._

A choking cry suddenly forced itself out of Halt's throat, and he pumped Will's chest even harder, ignoring the sobs that racked his body. Pumping and pumping for all his worth but Will just wouldn't wake up!

Abelard whinnied nervously as his master began to shake, both from cold and from shock. Halt ignored him, pushing Will's ribcage down in one last desperate attempt.

And amazingly, a miracle of all miracles, Will took a breath in. Halt recoiled in surprise, and just as well, for Will immediately turned to his side and retched up all the water that had collected in his lungs. Abelard neighed excitedly, and despite his position and the freezing cold, Halt began to laugh in elation.

" You're alive, you're alive!" Halt half sobbed, his voice somewhat strangled as he seized his companion in a bone-cracking hug. " Never again, do you hear me?! Never, ever again!"

Will groaned, shivering violently as the brisk morning air seeped into his sodden clothes. For some reason, his vision was blurry, even abandoning him at moments. But worst of all was the confusion that completely blanketed him, making him forget everything that was of any importance. The man before him, who seemed deranged, kept touching his face as if he was checking if Will was sill there. Halt stared into his unfocused eyes, and a thunderous expression suddenly took place in his eyes.

" You're concussed" He muttered angrily, looking more annoyed with himself than at Will " Of course you are, with a bash to the head like that..."

Will gazed at him with confusion, blinking heavily as a sudden feeling of lead came over his muscles. He wanted nothing than to sleep, if only the cold would vanish from his bones. Halt must have noticed the sleepiness in his eyes, for he gave him a stern yet gentle shake, shaking Will out of his reverie.

" No sleeping" He ordered grimly " Gorlog's knows what that will do to your mind... Come on, up we get, I'd better check up on that cut"

Will allowed himself to get hauled up off the ground and half dragged towards Abelard, who was being jittery for some hung onto his mane with some difficulty, slumping across the saddle weakly. Halt climbed in behind him, and with a whistled note, they shot away on a desperate gallop towards a waiting Tug.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

A few hours later, and there was no improvement. The pair had come across an abandoned cave and decided to camp there for the rest of the day. The weather had taken a turn for the worst, with brooding clouds collecting together in one dark grey mass. A bitter wind accompanied the clouds, and despite it being only being mid afternoon, Halt found himself lighting a large fire at the foot of the cave to keep the worst of the cold away.

"Ruddy Pictish weather" He grumbled to himself as he cast a disapproving eye around their bleak surroundings. " It'll be freezing for another two days, I reckon."

Will responded with a well-timed shiver, shaking his still-wet fringe away from his forehead. Halt tutted exasperatedly at him, appalled to find him still dripping wet.

" Oh Will, you should have said something!" Halt scolded, rummaging about Tug's saddle-pack for some dry clothes for him to wear. He drew out a clean shirt ,a waist coat, and an old pair of trousers. " Take your cloak off, you ridiculous boy"

Will frowned at him, drawing his soaking cloak around him even tighter. Halt rolled his eyes, throwing the pile of clothes at him before turning to face the cave wall with his arms crossed.

"Very well, I'll respect your privacy," He muttered, " Hurry up and change, I need to re-stitch that cut.."

Will peeled his sodden clothes off painfully slowly, wincing as a range of aches and pains suddenly attacked his bare skin. He tugged on his trousers, glaring at a watching Tug, who snickered amusedly in response.

" Oh, shut up" Will grunted quietly, hissing in pain as he pulled his tunic off. He stared down at his own torso in bewilderment, horrified a he splatter of dark bruises that littered his left poked one experimentally and almost cried out as a jolt of white-hot pain travelled through his whole rib cage. A broken rib was inevitable, the only mystery was why Will hadn't felt it earlier.

Tug brayed in alarm at the sight of the wound, and before Will could stop him, Halt whirled around, his hand already clutching his saxe knife. He ogled at Will's side for a second before cursing furiously, immediately dropping his knife.

" This is ridiculous!" He growled, grabbing the medical kit he lugged about everywhere. " Why didn't you tell me Will, you could have punctured a lung!"

" Well, I didn't really...feel it, I suppose" Will replied confusedly, a thumping headache beginning to start up beneath his skull. " Must have been a rock or something..."

" And I must have made it worse with the resuscitation!" Halt moaned, running an agitated hand through his hair " Right, lie back Will, I'll need to realign the bones. And I'm not going to pretend that it won't hurt"

" No, it's fine, I can barely feel it anyway," Will gabbled, edging away from his mentor " Honestly Halt, you don't have to..."

" You couldn't feel it because of the cold, making you numb" Halt interrupted irritatedly, rolling out his sleeping mat. " You'll feel the full effects when you're warm again Will, trust me. Now lie down here and stop complaining. Do you really want a shard of bone to tear through your skin?"

Reluctantly, Will placed himself on the floor, feeling sick as his side twinged once more. His headache wasn't making things any better either, making his skull felt as if it would burst at any minute.

" You're never going to jump off anything again, do you hear me?" Halt berated as he rubbed his hands in a antibacterial mixture "Lord knows how I'll deal with this a _second _time. Right, hold still, I'm going to start on the first bone..."

Will screwed his face in a pained grimace as Halt began to slowly but surely pull the bone back into place. He gasped with pain as the pressure in his skull built up into an unbearable agony, and with another snap from his rib cage, his vision tuned black and he fell into a peaceful unconsciousness.

* * *

Halt soon finished his work on Will's bones, wrapping his whole torso in thick bandages, and attaching a splint on top of his tunic, just in case movement jarred the fragmented pieces of bone. The whole experience had been horrible, and Halt had winced at each snap as though it had been his own creaky bones. Two hours later, with Will still in limbo and with a fierce storm building up, Halt's nerves were in tatters.

For the fiftieth time, Halt adjusted the splint, with no reaction from his comatose ward. Will seemed to be breathing fine, and there was no sign of temperature so Halt didn't do anything else, hoping he would leave his coma-like state soon.

As for McRiorand, the delusional tribe chief of this part of Picta, Halt had no doubt that he would soon be sending his men to kill them both. Halt had tried reasoning with him, but he had refused, and now that his prize dragon was dead he would surely be furious. And since it had been the last dragon on he face of the kingdom, Halt had no doubt that the Pictish king would soon get involved.

Halt sighed angrily, tugging at his beard as he pondered on how out of hand his supposed 'Peace Mission' had become. His apprentice was seriously ill, all contact with Crowley was out of the question, and now it seemed McRiorand would never engage with Araluen ever again. Duncan would surely have a word to say to him when they got back, if they ever did.

Halt sighed once more, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he fell into a chaotic and worry-filled sleep.

* * *

**AN: Yay, chapter update, although I admit that I'm not very pleased with this. Thanks to you lovely three that reviewed, and please spare another if you bother to read this chapter!**

Thanks for reading, another chapter should be soon heading your way!


	3. Chapter 3

The next day dawned bright and clear, and their was no sign of the storm that had plagued the highlands the night before. Numerous times Halt had re-lighted the fire as it flickered and died in the wind, and numerous times his sleep was interrupted by a nagging worry. Will seemed no better, nor did he seem any worse although Halt was convinced he was beginning to show the signs of a nasty cold. It was to be expected really, especially since he had spent the whole of the past afternoon drenched to the skin.

And to make matters worse, there were signs that they were being followed. As Halt scouted their surroundings for more firewood, he found a single boot-print barely 10 metres away from the cave entrance. It was quite large, and as he scanned the landscape, he could swear a bush rustled as a something moved behind it. He made his way back to he cave with haste, un-slinging his bow as he did so. Being hunted, especially now, was extremely bad luck, and there was a chance things could turn very nasty indeed.

"Don't move" Halt ordered as he entered the cave. Will frowned up at him, confused, shuffling uncomfortably on the ground. He was leaning against his horse for support and warmth, and Tug covered him protectively with his neck.

"Why not?" Will asked, his voice weak and with a raspy undertone "What happened?"

"We're being tracked"

Will stared at him, dumbfounded, and a shiver ran through his body as a small breeze began to play up. Halt silently slipped his throwing knife out of his scabbard and placing it beside him.

"Tug'll look out for you, but any sign of trouble and you'll whistle for me, understand?" Halt murmured lowly, locking his eyes with the lethargic teen "You'll be fine, I'll try to keep whoever it is away,but if...if anything happens, if they slip past..."

Halt let the end of his statement fade away, but Will understood what he meant nevertheless. If anyone got past, then Will was on his own, and there could be a very real chance that he would get butchered. Halt placed his hand on his hair for a moment or two before slipping out without a word, not even the faintest whisper of a footprint.

Outside, the morning sky was red, and Halt couldn't help but vaguely repeat a little rhyme in his head.

_'Red sky at night, Rangers delight '_He thought '_Red sky in the morning, Rangers warning...'_

He scowled irritably at himself, annoyed at the superstition and silently withdrew an arrow from his quiver.

"Not this morning" Halt thought grimly, spotting a rustle of movement behind a stunted tree "Over my dead body"

/**/*/**/*/

Back inside, Will was trying to concentrate on keeping his eyelids open, never-mind who might be sneaking up on him to kill him. Never before had he felt such tiredness, or such apathy to his surroundings. For once, he was completely vulnerable, a perfect target for the Pictish knight.

The man sneaked up on all fours towards the cage entrance, sending small cascades of sand down the cliff face. Will was oblivious as he leaned against his horse, frowning as Tug began to snicker in alarm. But he remembered too late about the man he meant to be keeping an eye out for, and as he looked towards the the entrance, he saw a tall and muscled man standing proudly before him.

He was dressed in the traditional Pictish way, with a tartan skirt made of a rough material stitched into a tartan pattern. Halt had once told him the colours of the skirt represented tribes, but in this case is seemed to be an army uniform of black and green. Woollen socks reached up to his knees, covering most of his hairy legs, and two massive broadsword lay strapped to his waist, a third in his hand.

" 'ello, me beauty" He grinned with a thick Pictish brogue "You'll be coming along wi' me, no shenanigans, are we understood?"

Will stared wordlessly at him, slowly picking his dagger off the ground and holding it confidently in his hand. The soldier seemed amused at his actions, laughing gruffly as he marched forward with his sword bared threateningly.

"Don't pretend yer know how to use it Lad" He warned, now sounding irked "Get up, no noise, and follow me. Allright?!"

Will ignored his words, slashing at his ankles before diving behind Tug, who kicked the man straight in the face. A flare of pain erupted in his side, momentarily blinding him but he soon recovered, panting heavily as he observed the man fumble upwards, a stream of blood flowing down his nose. The soldier snatched his sword up immediately, bellowing furiously as he swung to cut of Will's head, but Will dived out of he way nimbly, managing to cut his forearm before scrambling out of his reach.

The man gazed at the bleeding wound, astonished, before his brows came together and a look of fury came over his face.

"Yer dead" He hissed, his face turning purple "I hadn' nae yet killed a boy, but you'll be my first!"

Will clasped his side in agony, his face grim as he paced around the man , the dagger in his hand aimed to throw.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The whistle Halt had been dreading sounded loud and clear over the bleak environment. He muttered something to himself darkly, slinging his bow across his back as he began to sprint back to the cave. So far, he had shot three different soldiers who had been sneaking about in shrubs and behind boulders. He should have realised one would have probably slipped past, but to be honest, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

With a definite sour feeling in his mouth, Halt scrambled up into the cave, but instead of coming across the scene of a fight or (God Forbid) his apprentice's dead body, he instead found something he hadn't been expecting. An unconscious mountain of a man, with wounds to his ankles and arm, and Will sitting on top of him.

"I didn't know what to do with him" Will gushed before Halt could open his mouth " I didn't want to kill him, but I couldn't leave him so-"

"No, no, that's completely fine" Halt interrupted, for once sounding bemused "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"He tried" Will murmured, rubbing his ribs once more. The action was not lost on Halt, and he narrowed his eyes at the unconscious man sprawled across the floor.

"Right" Halt barked moodily, flexing his fingers "Let's try waking him up, shall we?"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Half an hour later, the soldier had woken up but he immediately wished he hadn't. He had another blow to the nose, this time from the Ranger. He had tried to lunge out the boy who watched from a couple of metres away, but the grim Ranger had immediately knocked him down.

"You will not lay a _finger _on my apprentice, do you hear me?" Halt spat, gabbing him by the throat. His eyes were filled with fiery hatred, and the soldier could tell by his clenched teeth and balled fists that he would not hesitate in tearing him apart.

"I understand, I understand" He wheezed with difficulty, gulping down air as the older man suddenly released him "Agreed, agreed, not a finger, not one whatsoever..."

"Your name" Halt ordered, fingering his knives threateningly. As expected, the soldier immediately tensed up, trying to discreetly edge away.

"Draeden McPhill" He blurted out hastily "Swear on me grave, me name's McPhill!"

Halt nodded almost imperceptibly, removing his hand from his scabbard. McPhill watched him anxiously, his earlier confidence gone. If the boy could overpower him, then he dreaded to think what his master could do.

"I believe you" Halt announced and McPhill visibly relaxed, sagging against the cave wall. "Your orders are from McRiorand, correct?"

McPhill nodded, eager to please the Ranger. " Tha's right" He answered enthusiastically "McRiorand, and some are saying the king too.."

Halt cursed angrily, and Will raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected _Halt_ to come up with such a filthy curse, and his mentor spotted his expression. At least he had the grace to nod apologetically in Will's direction.

"Sorry" He muttered distractedly, rubbing his beard worriedly "But we're in a lot of trouble now. How many men are after us McPhill? Give us a rough estimate."

"Around half the whole force by the end of the week" McPhill said hesitantly "But right now, I'd say only McRiorand's men. That dragon was his life and his proudest possession, so-"

"Yes, yes, I know we killed it" Halt interrupted bitterly. "But what could we have otherwise done..."

"What do we do?" Will asked, no longer able to keep silent "If the whole country is after us, then shouldn't we get moving? How long until we hit the border?"

"That's what I'm worried about" Halt responded doubtfully "The border's sure to be heavily controlled, and every man is probably looking for a man and a boy..."

Halt trailed off, looking uncomfortable, and with a sudden feeling of dread, Will began to pick up on his line of thinking.

"We can't split up!" He protested, eyes wide with horror "I'm weapon less Halt, and not to mention this stupid thing..."

He tapped his splint exasperatedly, wincing as the touch sent a ripple of mild pain through his torso. Halt let out an exhale of breathe, resting his face in his hands for a moment or two. Both McPhill and Will stared at him in surprise, and when he looked up, Will saw that for the first time his master seemed troubled, and greatly so.

"We've got no other choice" Halt grunted, his face determined but with apprehension beginning to close in around his heart.

* * *

**AN: Thanks to everyone that reviewed, you wonderful things.**

**MoniqueBowman, charming words, as always, and I'm flattered you've overpraised me!**

**Oh, and thanks for the cookies, random guest. They were scrumptious, so thanks for you kindness!**

**Seriously though, cheers to the reviewers!**


	4. Chapter 4

After an age of agonized thinking, Halt finally came up with his plan. They were going to split up, despite the fact that so many things could go wrong. Will was semi-concious most of the time, but it was the only plan he had. It was their only choice.

"We're splitting up" Halt announced as the sun began to decline to the west "Draeden, you're coming with me, so don't look so pleased with yourself"

McPhill scowled, slumping back down on an uncomfortable rock. He had hoped he would get a chance to get his revenge, before slipping away and slinking back to McRiorand.

"I'll go where I please, Araluen scum..." He muttered, but no one was paying him any attention. Will looked appalled, gaping at Halt as though he had sprouted another head.

" Are you out of your _mind?!" _He hissed, temporarily forgetting his manners. " What are the chances of both of us getting away, when the whole place is crawling with soldiers?! Come on Halt, I can barely move, you can't just abandon me..."

"I'm not abandoning you!" Halt interrupted harshly, looking offended "I'd never abandon you! It's our only chance of survival, we can't defy a whole army-"

"We can try!" Will insisted stubbornly, "I've got no weapons! Nothing! I can go travelling in the midst of all those men like this..!"

"Lad's got a point," McPhill agreed. "Great master you are.."

Halt gave him a thundery glare and Draeden immediately averted his eyes, staring at his boots like a naughty school-boy. Will bit his lip anxiously, looking uncharacteristically nervous. Sensing his hysteria, Halt placed a hand on his shoulder, bending his head forwards to stop McPhill eavesdropping on them shamelessly.

"Will, calm yourself" Halt instructed quietly but firmly "I left you once, and you managed to fight McPhill off, correct?"

Will nodded reluctantly, but he didn't see how that had anything to do with splitting up. Besides, McPhill was one man, and a hot-blooded one too. You couldn't expect the whole Pictish army to be as reckless as he was.

"That was different!" Will retorted "McPhill's one man, I can't defend myself from a whole army-"

"Exactly my point!" Halt butted in enthusiastically "Think Will, no-one's going to go after you whilst your alone! Can't you see?! I'm trying to protect you, not 'abandon you' as you so childishly put it..."

Will gritted his teeth, knowing that Halt was right, but deep down sincerely wishing he wasn't. He was an apprentice, and a half paralysed one at that. He was doomed, one way or the other. It was unusual of him to be so pessimistic, but then again, this wasn't any ordinary situation. Halt studied him silently, something unrecognisable glinting in his eye that might have even been worry.

" Will, look at me" Halt ordered, his voice strangely mild, his grim undertone almost non-existent. "Will, listen."

Will raised his head half-heartedly, and was surprised when Halt put his hand under his chin, cocking his head up so his eyes met his. It was clear on his face that the decision had been taking a toll on him; his eyes were thundery and his brow lines seemed deeper than usual.

"This will only work if you believe in it" Halt reminded him "I told you once didn't I? A man who doesn't believe in himself.."

"Can hardly expect anyone else to trust him" Will finished sighing slightly before steeling his features up. "OK, OK, I'll do it. I'll try my best"

"Good lad" Halt remarked, sounding relieved as he ruffled Will's hair, making it even more messy than before. He stood up, looking business-like once more as he paced the front of the cave. McPhill watched him suspiciously, not liking the new determination present in his stance.

"Well then," He called out distrustfully, folding his arms " Is the wee man goin' to tell me where on earth he's dragging me at this time of Winter?"

Halt shot him a wry grin, the first on his face since the whole mess started, before laying out the plan.

/*/*/

Strangely enough, Halt insisted that they begin to ride at early twilight, when the sky was tinged a light blue. His reasoning was simple, soldiers had already camped around them in a half-mile perimeter, so they had a better chance of slipping past in the dark. They had all changed into simple clothes, with their cloaks bundled up deep inside their saddle packs. McPhill had been furious to change out of his kilt, but Halt had forced him to a knife point.

Will would be heading south-west, towards a main trade town where Halt insisted that he find a proper doctor to look at his injuries. He would stay for two days, getting supplies and lying low before exiting town, skirting around Picta's coast before (hopefully) entering back into Araluen. Halt and McPhill would be heading South-east, where they would try to draw attention to themselves before riding out via the main city. It was a good plan, but it didn't stop Will feeling jumpy as they prepared to head their different ways.

"What if you get recognized?" He agonized, slinging his bag over Tug's side. "What if there's trouble? What about if.."

"Just concentrate on getting out of here alive" Halt responded, unbuckling his double-knife scabbard. "Come here would you? It might be a little loose, I think.."

"You're giving me you knives?" Will questioned, astonished "But what are you going to use?"

"I've got my bow" Halt relied breezily, buckling the strap around his waist. "Did you really think I'd let you go tramping around Picta without any weapons? Honestly Will, sometimes you can be so ignorant..."

Will stared at him, fingering the knives with a strange feeling in his throat. He just realised how much he was going to miss Halt for the next two weeks, as well as his gruff but caring nature. He really, really didn't want to split up now.

" You'll be fine" Halt insisted for the hundredth time, spotting the flicker of panic in his eyes. " I'll see you in a couple of weeks, three weeks maximum.."

" Hmm.." Will muttered, rubbing his half-healed scar worriedly " I still don't like this plan though."

Halt opened his mouth to reply with a typical sarcastic remark, but no words came out. A lump was forming in his throat. _A lump_. He hadn't felt a lump in his throat for _years._

'_I'm getting sentimental_' He thought sourly, but that didn't stop him reaching out and embracing his apprentice. He usually didn't show much affection, but a small, pessimistic part of him kept thinking that this could be the last chance he got. Will didn't complain, resting his head on his mentors chest and ignoring the flare of pain in his fourth rib.

The journey ahead was going to be very hard indeed.

* * *

Back at Araluen, news was beginning to trickle in from Picta, and none of it sounded good.

In fact, it was fast becoming an extremely tense situation, the most dangerous since the Morgarath war. Duncan wasn't sure what was worse, the fact that Picta had become miraculously silent, or the fact that one of his Rangers was stuck in the middle of it all. As far as diplomatic disasters went, this was one of the worst Duncan had ever seen.

He was not alone in his worry however, since Crowley had travelled from all the way west towards the castle to discuss the issue. He was grim, and Duncan was beginning to feel that the chances of Halt making it out again were slim.

"You're majesty, I come with bad news" Crowley announced, soon after flinging the door open to Duncan's study. "It's about Halt, we've received news"

"Sit down commander, and explain" Duncan ordered urgently, dropping his quill immediately "I believe you said it was bad?"

Crowley nodded grimly, and Duncan realised with a jolt that his laughter lines seemed turned down into a frown. It was the first time he had seen Crowley this way, despite all the horrors they had seen in the past.

"Indeed sire, my informant sent a messenger pigeon this morning" Crowley replied unhappily "It's seems that... well Halt has unfortunately angered one of the tribe chiefs, a man named McRiorand, if you recall?"

Duncan nodded curtly. McRiorand was the reason Halt had been sent to Picta in the first place. The tribe chief had spent decades mocking Araluens, fiddling with international affairs, causing petty arguments between leaders and ignoring his people so stubbornly it was almost admirable. But he saw no reason why Halt would anger him without reason...

"My Lord," Crowley began, looking hesitant. "I wonder if you have ever heard about dragons.."

* * *

**Another chapter as promised, although this one was difficult to write.**

**I've said this once but I'll say it again: THANK YOU REVIEWERS!**

**You have no idea how happy a review makes me! If anyone has any ideas for future chapters, send a review or a PM. In fact, if you want to say anything at all, perhaps about my grammar, then please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Duncan smiled amusedly, but began to frown as Crowley didn't join in. Dragons? In Picta? Crowley must either be pulling a strange joke or going senile.

"Commander, this is not the time for jokes," Duncan reprimanded him disapprovingly "Can we get back to the more important subject of our trapped comrade..."

"This is important sire, believe me," Crowley interrupted, deadly serious "We currently have an issue with a dragon, and Halt's got mixed up in it-"

"Be serious man, how can we have a dragon in this day and age?!" Duncan snapped, beginning to get annoyed "They're figments of imagination Crowley, the stuff of stories!"

"Your majesty, I assure you they are real!" Crowley insisted, folding his arms "Kalkara exist, as do wargals, so why not dragons! We have a dragon in Picta, believe it or not, and Halt has got into, let's say... an undesirable position involving it-"

"What, did it eat him?" Duncan punctuated sarcastically, slapping his palms on his desk angrily "Listen carefully commander, dragons-do-NOT-exist!"

Crowley studied him shrewdly, beginning to realise that the king was bound to be irritable. Halt was his best Ranger, and suddenly talking about dragons would of course test his temper.

"Sire, I have served you for many years," Crowley began calmly, his voice smooth "I have never deceived you before, and I certainly am not going to start now. So trust me when I say that dragons exist, and Halt, along with his apprentice, have managed to slay the last one."

Duncan gaped at him, taken aback, before he remembered his kingship and snapped his jaw shut. It wasn't that hard to believe to be honest. Over the years, far weirder things have popped up than dragons, and Duncan had always believed in them without questioning, so why shouldn't he believe now? As for Halt and his ward, Duncan had no doubt that they would have killed a dragon. That was just typical of them.

"The last dragon you say?" Duncan mused, shaking his head as Crowley nodded "Well, that wouldn't go down well would it? I suppose McRiorand's furious?"

"Hopping mad" Crowley agreed, "My informant said that there's a national man-hunt up there in the north. Oh, and apparently, we may have to prepare for war if tensions get any higher.."

"Against Picta?" Duncan questioned doubtfully "We may not be able to survive that...Where are the diplomats? We'll need them more than ever now!"

"They're working on a treaty as we speak," Crowley informed him "But Halt's going to have to answer to a _lot_ when he gets back,"

_"If_ he gets back," Duncan muttered, a twinge of worry twanging in his chest, "But something's not right about this. Halt wouldn't just start a war for no reason, especially if he had the boy with him. Will, his name was, wasn't it?"

"Yes my lord," Crowley sighed, rubbing his brow agitatedly "It mystifies us all sire. Let's just pray they gets back safely..."

"Whilst preparing to go to war" Duncan finished off grimly, rising out of his chair "Send for Lady Pauline and assemble the Rangers. This could get very ugly indeed."

* * *

Fortunately for Will, the first obstacle of his journey had been conquered with relative ease. As he rode away from the cave, he had managed to dodge all the soldiers in his way, although one had tried to ambush him from behind. Luckily, Tug had given the man a powerful kick with his rear legs, successfully knocking him out cold and probably breaking his jaw in the process.

Will had then ridden non-stop for the next three nights before arriving at his destination. Abecroth had been a main trading point for centuries, and it was full to the brim with merchants that came from all corners of the kingdom, and some even from abroad. Will fitted in nicely with his plain, undistinguished clothes, and he was a lot less conspicuous than the traders that haggled on every corner.

Dodging a crate full of shells, Will squeezed his way through the narrow streets, Tug following on closely behind. The noise was deafening and the wind like a knife, so it was a relief to finally arrive at a small tavern far from the main roads. He would be staying there for another two days before slipping out again.

After brushing Tug down and pouring him a jug full of water, Will walked stiffly into the tavern. His side had flared significantly since he had begun he journey, sometimes bringing tears of agony to his eyes as the bones rubbed against his skin. He couldn't wait to find a doctor, but he had already decided to wait until the next night. There was no point in rushing about on his first night, and anyway, Halt had warned him to stay low and to get an understanding of the environment before venturing out into it. And Will knew that it was always best to follow Halt's advice.

"Coffee please, extra strong" Will grunted to the tavern keeper, barely stopping himself from wincing as he sat down heavily on a stool. He was the only customer, and the innkeeper rushed off to prepare the order, eager to impress.

"You all right, young man?" The man asked conversationally, hanging the kettle over the fire. "Look like you've got a right painful thing stuck up your-"

"Sore ribs" Will replied, cutting him off before he could continue "Do you know of any good doctors around here? My brother gave me a proper beating yesterday, and it hurts like hell."

"Archer's across the road, and he's cheap, unlike those greedy men in the better parts of town," The innkeeper advised, a sour expression coming over his face as he thought of the wealthy doctors "One charged me damn near 200, for a broken leg too! It's a right midden up there.."

Will listened to his rant patiently. The innkeeper's words worried him; how would he pay 200 for each rib? He could only hope that Archer would accept gratitude as payment.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

As it turns out, Dr Archer did not accept gratefulness as payment, and like every other man in town, he wanted solid coins. His surgery was a musty room filled with medical book and strange instruments that looked more like tools of torture than operating equipment. Will didn't trust him one bit, especially after he had prodded every damn bone in his left side.

"Thirty coins a bone, and you've broken all of them, one way or the other," Archer muttered, a glint of greed in his eyes, "You've made me a rich man tonight lad!"

"I haven't broken all twelve of them, that's ridiculous!" Will protested, glaring at him "If you're trying to fob me off, I'll just go and find a decent man to fix me up!"

"Good luck findin' one in Abecroth," Archer muttered rebelliously, but he backed down nonetheless "Fine, since you're young, I'll do the lot for 100"

Will made a noise of disgust, yanking his shirt back down and making to get off the bed. To be fair, 100 for twelve ribs was a bargain, but he wasn't going to let Archer know that. Predictably, the doctor tried desperately to come to a deal.

"All right 70...65, OK 65.." He haggled desperately "Fine, fine..50!50 is my final offer, take it or leave it!"

Will smiled slyly to himself, but Archer missed it. People were so easy to manipulate, especially the greedy ones.

"Deal" Will agreed, satisfied, lying back down and tensing up slightly "We'd better begin then, shouldn't we?"

Archer scowled angrily to himself as he grabbed a roll of bandages, secretly knowing that he had been out-smarted. But the boy could rip him off as much as he wanted, Archer was sure to get the last laugh. Unknown to Will, posters with information about him and Halt had been circulating the town almost as soon as the dragon had been slaughtered. In fact, the only reason he hadn't been caught yet was because Halt wasn't with him. The plan was so close to succeeding, but now it was doomed to failure.

'_There aren't many short lad's with brown hair walking about town, and none of them have almost all their ribs broken' _Archer thought, his suspicions slowly being confirmed._'It must be him!'_

It was extremely bad luck that Archer was the only person in a five mile radius who recognized him, and Will had decided to walk straight into his grasp. The doctor could hardly believe it, but now he was certain. A Ranger, a wanted one too, walking straight into his practise! It was like a dream come true, and he was sure McRiorand would pay handsomely for this little parcel.

Now all that needed to be done was force the boy into unconsciousness, and prepare for the money to start rolling in.

* * *

**Oh deary me, Will's in trouble again. But Archer is going to get beaten, don't you lot worry.**

**Savannah Silverstone: Thanks for the recurring reviews! Sorry this chapter's short, but it seems to be the only way I'm able to write. Perhaps I'm just lazy.**

**Miss SpottedOwl88: Really useful ideas, thanks! Am definitely going to be using one in the future, so keep your eyes peeled! Lovely cookies too.**

**Moniquebowman: You have no idea how useful the dialogue tip was to me! Didn't even realise I was doing it, and it did become easier to easier to type up, thanks to you!**

**XDioxideX and Caithlinn13: You both made me giggle with delight, so please stick around for more chapters!**

**Hi, (or as I like to call you, crazy cookie girl): I actually love it when you review, and especially when you cyber-bake me treats ;)!**

**3326freespirit: Yeah, Will is always going to fight till the end. There won't be any ranger-in-distress in here!**

**That's all from me, and since most of you liked the Father-Son thing, I'm definitely putting it in later chapters, although I'm determined not to make it sappy.**

**I'LL TRY AND WRITE A LONGER CHAPTER, BUT UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP REVIEWING YOU AMAZING PEOPLE!**


	6. Chapter 6

Archer shuffled down the street minutes later, glancing behind him as if the Ranger was somehow following him. He had knocked the boy out easily enough, simply injecting him with a mixture of painkillers and chloroform, which would hopefully be enough to keep him unconscious for about five hours. Of course Will didn't expect anything, merely thinking it was Archer's idea of an anaesthetic. But now he was lying bound and unconscious in the study, as the Doctor hurried off to find a soldier that would take him off to McRiorand.

Around ten minutes later, Archer stumbled into the small building that acted as the control centre and barracks in the bustling town. Normally it was filled with lounging men dressed in kilts who spent their days playing dice and gambling. Now, however, it was in a state of frenzy, with groups of men bustling around in full battle gear. It seemed as though they were preparing for war, not searching for two mere Rangers. Archer approached the nearest one self-consciously, tugging at his sleeve agitatedly.

"What're yer playing at!" The man hissed, bristling with anger "Can't yer see that I'm busy! I don't have time for commoners!"

"But I found who you were looking for!" Archer stuttered in reply "A young lad, wondering about on his own, and I'm pretty sure it's the one from the poster..."

The soldier gave him a stern look and Archer trailed off, gulping nervously. His fellow soldiers began to look over too, jeering and shouting out insults. Archer flushed crimson, looking back down the street he had just come up. Perhaps he should just run off before the soldier could lose his temper...

"Are yer sure?!" The man hissed, dragging Archer away from the prying ears of his comrades "Do you know how much ol' McRiorand is offering for that pair?!"

"Yes!" Archer insisted, gradually gaining confidence "That's why I came here, so I could take him to McRiorand and get my money-"

"Ten thousand gold coins, imagine" The soldier muttered, a hint of greediness in his eyes "The things I could do with that much cash.."

"Hang on, I'm the one who found him!" Archer snapped angrily "So I'll be the one who's getting the reward!"

The soldier lost his dreamy look and glared at Archer, who stared just as stonily back.

"Look," The soldier announced, after a tense silence "If I help you and take him ter McRiorand, I'll take half the prize, deal?!"

"Absolutely not!" Archer protested, scowling "Just tell me where McRiorand is, I'll take the boy myself- ACK!"

Archer was cut off with an unexpected choke-hold from the soldier who stared down at him furiously, squeezing his throat with hands like shovels.

"I made yer a deal, and yer'll take it, if you now what's good for you!" He whispered threateningly into Archer's ear "Now for the last time, _have we got a deal_?!"

Archer gasped out his reply, his face turning purple. He spluttered as he was released, gulping in mouthfuls of air and already beginning to regret ever getting involved with the youth.

"Lead the way, peasant" The soldier sneered nastily, pulling Archer up by the scruff off his neck. "Show me this so-called _Ranger..."_

/*/*/

Reluctantly, Archer led the soldier back to his study, where the lad was still asleep, his head lolling limply to the side. The soldier, who had introduced himself as Cyril, studied him critically.

"Not very big , is he?" He muttered, more to himself than to Archer "How d'you know that he's a Ranger? Could be some random farm-hand that we're taking..."

"What farm-hand has half his ribs broken, a burn and a new scar?" Archer answered irritably "It's him, I know it is"

Cyril shrugged, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like;"It's yer funeral", before reaching down and slinging the limp figure over his shoulder. Archer gaped at him in shock, before a look of fury came over his face.

_"_What-are-you-_doing?!" _He spat, slapping Cyril's huge hand angrily "I've spent two hours fixing those damn ribs! Put him down you fool, before you kill him!"

Cyril placed him back down, watching bemusedly as Archer tapped the boy's ribs, trying to spot if any bones had been pushed out of place. '_Who cares if his bones get broken?' _Cyril thought impatiently. All he cared about was the money.

"For God's sake are you his mother?!" Cyril burst out exasperatedly "I don't give a damn about his bones, let's just throw him ter McRiorand already-"

"Easy for you to say, you haven't been slaving over him for half the day" Archer muttered in reply, looking satisfied as he checked the bones one last time "And anyway, a bone puncturing his lung could lead to death, and McRiorand wanted them both alive. Poster said so"

Cyril sniffed in disgust but didn't reply, roughly shoving the boy's head into a straw sack before preparing to exit the room.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Unknown to Archer and his companion, Will was already beginning to stir as they made their way to McRiorand's castle, which lay in the centre of Abecroth. But instead of waking up to find himself in Archer's study, he was moving up and down in a jolting movement, with his head stuck inside a straw bag and lying on something that felt suspiciously like armour. Ignoring the seed of panic beginning to blossom in his chest, Will continued to lie limply, racking his brains furiously for a plan.

_'OK, so the worst has happened and I've been captured_' Will thought, wrinkling his nose at the putrid smell of the sack '_No knives, no horse, and I've still got these stupid ribs to worry about...'_

Will frowned as he thought of his ribs. They felt strangely numb, virtually painless compared to the state they had started off in. But he was still stuck in this ridiculous situation and McRiorand would definitely lose his temper this time...

But before Will could come up with a comprehensible plan, they came to an abrupt halt. Cyril, unaware that his captive was awake, began to speak.

"We need ter see McRiorand" He announced, "This lad-" He poked a finger into Will's side, "Is a wanted Ranger"

There was the sound of a metal door being opened, and the footsteps of Will's carrier changed to a more echoey sound. The temperature had changed too, so they must have entered some type of building. It didn't require a lot of brain-power for Will to realise that he was facing a likely death sentence in a matter of seconds. There of was a sound of knocking, and Will stiffened, knowing full well what was coming next.

"Enter!" A voice boomed, and with the sound of a creaking door, they moved forwards once more "Is that-!"

"Yes my Lord, it's the Ranger boy from the posters!" The familiar voice of Archer replied enthusiastically, and Will wrinkled his nose in disgust. He knew he hadn't liked the look of the Doctor, and if he had listened to his gut instinct, he probably wouldn't be in the situation he was now in. "Walked straight into my study if you would believe My Lord! Luckiest thing that has ever happened to me!"

"Show me!" McRiorand ordered, his voice strangled, and Will barely had time to snap his eyelids shut before the sack was ripped off and he was deposited onto a flagstone floor. "Well, well, well, the brat has finally shown himself!"

A sudden kick connected with Will's side, but luckily, it had been his good side and he managed to keep his hiss of pain contained. McRiorand sounded as if he was pacing around him now, and the knowledge he was close made Will want to shudder.

"Where's his mentor?" McRiorand barked "The man with the beard?"

"My lord...?" Archer questioned, sounding confused.

"His companion, you fool!" McRiorand snapped. He was evidently in a bad mood.

"My Lord, h..he was alone, I swear he was!" Archer stuttered, taken-aback "I assumed he was travelling solo.."

"Wake him" McRiorand interrupted, uninterested in Archer's rambling excuses "I have a whole lot to ask him, the little devil"

"My Lord, I cannot, I used a range of chemicals to-" Archer began to explain, but suddenly cut-off by a disdainful look from his chief. Will began to wonder what was happening, but soon McRiorand spoke again, and his voice was extremely cold.

"Wake him, you useless peasant" He hissed, like an angered cobra "Or you can forget about any reward! You'll be lucky to get out of here at all, judging the way you're heading!"

"Yes My Lord" Archer answered his voice quivering as he walked towards him. He knelt besides Will, who realised with disgust that he was breathing straight into his face. His breath was disgusting, and he just couldn't believe he trusted this man to treat him! He should have realised the warning signs, his greed was enough to warn him about Archer's character...

"My lord, I cannot" Archer burst out, interrupting Will's train of thought and sounding close to tears "Another hour maybe, but right now-OW!"

Archer squealed with pain as what sounded like a heavy object collided with his head with a painfully loud CRACK! Will recoiled slightly, but no-one noticed or shouted out.

"Then I'll wake him, with steel" McRiorand muttered, more to himself than to the groaning Archer. There was the unmistakable sound of a weapon being drawn and the unique hiss of metal escaping a scabbard. Unnerved, Will's eye's snapped open and scrambled away from the noise.

Just in time it seemed, as a sword slammed into the space he had been lying in just a second ago. Everyone in the room was ogling at him in shock, from the guards beside the door to the beefy looking soldier standing some distance away. McRiorand's face was turning purple, his shock of carrot hair looking as though it was standing on edge with indignation.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" He bellowed, rather unnecessarily in Will's opinion. He rushed at Will, who scrambled to his feet, trying to put as much distance between him and the angry tribe chief as possible. The guards joined him, drawing their swords and pacing by their masters side. McRiorand flashed him a rather nasty smile, his eyes bright with murderous glee as he observed his prey.

"And now you die, just like my dragon" He grinned. The amusement was suddenly wiped of his face as quickly as it had appeared, and it was instead replaced with an ugly look."Do you have any idea what that beast meant? DO YOU?!"

Will didn't answer, backing up against a great coloured window that shone light down the entire room. His silence seemed to frustrate McRiorand more than anything else, and with a scream like a banshee, he hurled his great broadsword at him. Will dived, yet it only missed him by a bare millimetre. It struck the cathedral-like window, and in a tumultuous roar of sound, the whole structure splintered and fell. It exploded both outwards and inwards, and Will felt a piece strike his shin. Curling into a ball, he ignored the screams of the castle inhabitants, waiting patiently for the glass to stop falling.

"RANGER!" McRiorand howled, his face twisted with fury. A shard of red glass lay stuck in his chin, but he didn't seem to notice "I'LL BURN YOU! I WILL BURN YOU! I'LL BURN THE _HEART_ OUT OF YOU!"

Shaking in a mixture of shock and fright, Will spotted McRiorand tearing towards him across the ground littered with coloured glass. And for a second time that month, Will threw caution to the wind and leapt out of the gap the window had previously occupied.

He fell fast and for a short time, and his impact was mercifully soft. In chances of about one in a thousand, he had landed in a passing cart filled with straw,which acted as a giant bed. Spitting stray straw out of his mouth, Will struggled out of the bales of hay, grinning amusedly at his luck.

"Hey!" The cart driver shouted, coming around to berate Will "What're yer doing in me cart! Get out, yer little rascal!"

Will was only too happy to obey, clambering out and staring up at the window he had just jumped out of. It looked even higher than he had first thought, and the figure of McRiorand stood silhouetted in it, stamping in fury and shouting his lungs out.

"Grab him!" He was bellowing, pointing at Will frantically "GRAB HIM FOOLS!"

And before Will could even try and make a dash for it, he was grabbed from behind and thrown towards the cobblestoned yard, the shouts of soldiers and castle folk echoing in his ear.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

* * *

_**Three days later**_

McPhill was beginning to get on Halt's nerves. Not because he was a particularly annoying character, but because he kept reminding Halt of the apprentice he had left. Worry didn't suit with him, and the tension was making him even grumpier than he had been in the cave. McPhill realised his, and out of spiteful glee, kept stressing the fact to Halt.

"Do yer know that ribs can get jarred by constant movement, and might split open a person's lung?" He asked in an innocent tone that deceived no one. "How long d'you reckon till yer apprentice kills himself on that horse?"

Halt growled at him, but other than that, made no other effort to answer him. The soldier hadn't taken his forced travel lightly, so his idea of revenge was to make Halt feel as guilty as possible. And to his utter disgust, it was working.

"I've got a lad back home, yer know" McPhill continued, ignoring Halt's mutter of disgust "When he was a wee babe, had a burn just like that Will Lad, but no one realised it was infected until he fell over with a fever as strong as Hell. Might happen to yer companion, yer never know.."

"Shut the hell up, unless you want me to slit your tongue for you" Halt snapped moodily "Whatever you're trying, it won't work..."

Halt cut off abruptly and to McPhill's surprise, slipped off his saddle and stalked to the side of the country lane. His face was sour, and following his gaze, McPhill realized what had put him so out of sorts. It was a large poster, grubby, but still readable, hammered into a nearby tree.

"One Ranger has been found and captured, by order of his majesty the king" McPhill read, squinting at the smudged words "Suspect two is urged to come forwards and reclaim his companion, who has wrecked considerable damage to the castle of McRiorand, tribe chief of the town of Abecroth. The criminal is awaiting his sentence, and the people of Picta are rejoiced to see justice served.."

The poster continued in this fashion for some while, and ended with a vague description of Halt. McPhill tried to contain his delight, but the look on Halt's face made him grin in ecstasy.

"Oh I told yer, I told yer!" He cackled, sounding like a contented witch "I warned yer, didn't I?!"

Halt wasn't listening to a word that came out of his mouth, instead staring at the words with unfocused eyes, his thoughts a million miles away.

* * *

**Now if that's not long, then I don't know what is! 2737 words exactly, the longest chapter I have ever written.**

**My dear reviewers, as always I'm open for any ideas, thoughts or complaints. I want to throw Gilan in somewhere, perhaps more Crowley, and a lot more from Halt, so please s****tick around for the next chapter. I update at least once a week, so keep your eyes open every Sat/Sun.**

**P.S Did anyone get the Sherlock reference from McRiorand? It's coming back tomorrow you know, first of January, so I urge you lot to watch it!**


	7. Chapter 7

Predictably, Halt took precisely two seconds to decide to ride back to Abecroth and try to reclaim his companion. McPhill's grin wavered and eventually fell as Halt clambered back up Abelard and began to study him intently.

"You've gotta be joking!" He scoffed, backing away slightly "I aint going all the way back! I refuse!"

Halt cocked his head at him thoughtfully before shrugging. It didn't really matter to him whether McPhill stayed or went, since the only reason he had dragged him along was to keep him from staging a revengeful attack on Will. That wasn't really a concern any more if what the poster said was true.

"Fine by me" Halt grunted, beginning to ride away "But I'll be sure to tell McRiorand about you"

"Wait, what did yer say?!" McPhill shouted after him, confused "What're yer going to say to McRiorand?!"

"Oh you know," Halt answered casually, pausing for a second "How very helpful you were in helping us get away, the usual thing.."

"I never helped anyone get away from McRiorand!" McPhill burst out angrily "Don't yer dare say anything like tha' to him! He'll kill me!"

"You say that as if I care" Halt muttered, more to himself than to the soldier, but McPhill heard nevertheless. He gaped in horror at the Ranger for a few seconds before his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Allright, Allright, what d'you want me ter do?" He asked dejectedly, his mouth in a hard line "Yer a cruel man can I just say? A cruel, cruel man-"

"Yes, yes, I know" Halt interrupted impatiently "Now that we're on the same page, I'd like you to run a few tasks for me...nothing particularly demanding-"

McPhill scowled, looking as if he didn't believe a word of what Halt was saying. He was now beginning to sincerely regret ever getting involved with the Ranger, but it was far too late to try and turn back now. It was either Halt or McRiorand, and McPhill knew who's anger he'd rather avoid.

"I want you to ride out into Araluen, and stop at the first castle you see. Are you following me?" Halt instructed, staring beadily at the soldier."You're to ask for a Ranger, and relay him a message from me. Tell him that I, Halt, am in a sticky position up here in Picta, and I could really use another recruit to help me out. Got it?"

McPhill nodded.

"Castle, ask for Ranger and say tha' Ranger Halt is in trouble and he needs another pair of hands" He repeated dully, teeth clenched "Is tha' all, your highness?"

Halt raised his eyebrow at the thick sarcasm coating his words but didn't say anything. He would rather keep McPhill as low-tempered as possible; his potential escape depended on it.

"Godspeed McPhill" Halt called out in farewell before urging Abelard into a gentle trot and racing away. McPhill watched him go sourly, before shaking his head and clambering upon his horse, preparing to ride into Araluen.

/*/**/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Meanwhile in Abecroth, Will was facing the full force of McRiorand's temper and he wasn't enjoying it one bit. Nearly twenty soldiers had cornered him and dragged him back to McRiorand, who spent twenty solid minutes screaming at him, before calling his soldiers to hold Will down as he tried to beat humility into him. It didn't work, and it only served to make Will ache more than he originally had.

"I'll break, I _will_ break you," McRiorand vowed before ordering his soldiers to toss Will into the dungeons, deep below the basement of the castle. It was dusty and dry, with scuttling insects and dust trickling constantly from the ceiling above. A lot of people seemed to have angered McRiorand over the years, as almost every cell was inhabited by two or more residents. There were three misshaped floors, and he was dragged to the deepest, darkest and most crowded one. People hissed through the thick bars as Will was dragged by, shadows leering in the flickering candle light. It was just his luck that he got thrown into the dustiest cell, where Archer was already imprisoned.

"Oh God, not you" Will moaned quietly to himself, slowly but surely dragging himself up into a sitting position. Mercifully, McRiorand hadn't concentrated on left side too much, but he had still managed to knock at least one rib out of place, causing some breathing difficulty. "I hope you're proud of yourself, idiot"

Archer didn't retort, instead choosing to stare at him in mildly horrified fascination. The boy looked far worse than he had started off as; his movements were jerky, his forehead caked in drying blood and Archer could just spot a dark bruise on his neck, in the shape of beefy fingers. _'McRiorand's really let himself go this time'_, he thought, with a definite trace of guilt.

"You look wonderful" Archer murmured, ignoring Will's black look in reply "What exactly did he want from you?"

Will didn't answer straight away, determined to ignore the man who had bought him to the castle, but he eventually replied. He was never one to ignore conversation starters.

"Not entirely sure, I think he was just furious about the whole window thing" Will answered, hissing in pain as he moved too fast for his bones to deal with. "Ow... anyway, you should regret trying to sell me off. I'd normally punch your face in for that, but as you can see..."

"Oh believe me, I regret it" Archer sighed, staring up at the cobwebbed ceiling before turning to gaze at his fellow prisoner "I was supposed to be attending a party this evening, would you believe it.."

"My heart bleeds for you" Will snapped, giving up on trying to sit up and lying flat on his back, trying to slow his breathing. He gave a muted cry of pain, his eyes squeezed tight as something in his torso jarred, sending a ripple of agony unlike anything he had felt before.

"I hope he didn't beak your ribs all over again, I spent hours straightening them" Archer carried on conversationally, frowning as Will didn't answer " Um...are you OK lad, you look as though you're dying.."

"Do I look OK?" Will asked, meaning to sound irritated, but instead giving out a moan as something that felt like fire scorched his insides."God! My chest..!"

He broke off, his eyes watering with the effort. Archer scrambled closer, and there was nothing Will could do to stop him.

"I do believe you've _finally_ managed to puncture your lung" Archer diagnosed, placing his hand lightly on one of Will's ribs "Does it feel like a tearing sensation? Is your breathing difficult?"

Will gave a sharp nod, not it any position to try and get Archer away from him. He needed his help, no matter how much the man disgusted him.

"Well, you're lung might collapse if untreated" Archer continued, lifting Will's tunic and squinting at his chest in the dim light "How do you feel about unorthodox surgery? Might kill you, you never know.."

"I'm going to die anyway" Will gasped in reply, ignoring the tears of pain that slid down his cheeks as he locked eyes with Archer "Help me...please help me. You owe me it anyway..."

Archer smiled humourlessly, breaking off the eye contact. There was a definite feel of guilt in his chest now as he realised he was the cause of all this pain. He had to treat him, it was a matter of conscience. Rolling up his sleeves, he put on his Doctor-face whilst tearing a strap of material from his waistcoat. Will watched him distrustfully, unsuccessfully trying to edge away as Archer secured his arms down.

"Trust me, I need to or you'll thrash about all over the place" Archer warned, kneeling on an arm as he fastened it tight to the opposite. "I won't pretend that it's not going to hurt" He continued, unwittingly echoing Halt's words in the caves. Will almost smiled, but it was soon wiped from his face and he began to yell as Archer grabbed the offending bone and _pulled..._

The pain, the pain was terrible, and to make things worse blissful unconsciousness wouldn't come. There was no cold to numb him this time, and no anaesthetic to rid him of the pain. Within two seconds he was sobbing dryly, arching his back in agony and barely feeling Archer trying to restrain his legs from lashing out. There was liquid pooling in the back of his throat, and instinctively, he knew it was blood.

"Almost over, almost over.." Archer panted, wincing as another cry was let out "Keep strong, it's almost over, I promise.."

The commotion was echoing through the corridor and the soldiers on patrol shook their heads in disgust, pitying whichever poor fool had received McRiorand's wrath this time.

/*/

The surgery was a successful one, albeit it being an extremely long and blood-curdingly painful one. Will was near delirious at the end of it, and Archer had to beg a passing soldier for a bucket to collect all the blood in.

"Show some mercy man, he's on his death bed!" Archer urged, gesturing towards the still but whimpering body of his cell mate "A bucket, nothing more, I beg you!"

The soldier had taken little persuading and soon Will had a large container to spit out any remaining blood. It was a Scarlett, thick and was retched up every ten minutes, but Archer had high hopes that it was just another case of things looking worse than they seemed. A scratched lung, a torn vein perhaps, but nothing more.

"You're very lucky that I'm in this cell you know" Archer yawned, seven hours later. It was the middle of the night, but neither had managed to get to sleep. "You''ll be fine, probably make a full recovery. Of course, there could be infection, but we'll have to keep our fingers crossed..."

"Y..y..you've-killed-me" Will rasped, his voice sounding bizarrely ancient "I..I'm-dead.."

"Drama queen" Archer snorted disdainfully, but he couldn't prevent pity breaking out across his face "It's all right boy, you'll go home soon"

Will's only reply was a violent shudder, the flickering of candles and the noise of blood hitting the bucket their only company for the rest of that long, agonizing night.

/*/

Come morning both were still wide awake and to Will's dismay, McRiorand sent for him again.

"Chief's orders, he wants yer" A guardsman grunted, ignoring Archer's irritated protests "Sorry Lad, but he looks in a bad mood.."

"For God's sake, you're going to be killed!" Archer snapped as Will inched upwards, leaning heavily against the wall for support. "You're mad!"

"I'll see him" Will muttered, gathering his strength before straightening up. Archer studied him intently for a second before shrugging.

"Try not to anger him!" He shouted as advice as they exited the cell. Will smiled humourlessly, wondering how on earth he would manage that. The Guardsman, a rather tall and friendly man named Brecken , offered to carry Will up but he refused. He would face McRiorand on both feet; Hell itself would freeze over before Will let him win. The pair entered a room down the far side of the castle, in a wing that seemed to have been abandoned by the castle dwellers.

"Have fun with tha' monster" Brecken muttered, tossing McRiorand a disdainful look before hurrying out of the chamber. It was far smaller than the room with the coloured window, but it was still marvellous in its own way. It was dark and musty, with Gallic Gothic designs decorating the walls. McRiorand was pacing down at the far end, looking like a poisonous creature in its lair.

"Yielded yet?" were McRiorand's first words as he studied him "Will you apologize for my dragon and my property?"

Not confident enough to talk, Will raised his eyebrows mockingly in reply, trying to put as much scorn into the expression as possible. McRiorand raised his hand to strike him, but at the last second, Will swayed to the side and he missed.

"You don't know what you're playing," McRiorand breathed, snorting in repulsion "You're a fool, boy, you're going to die-"

"Like your dragon" Will whispered, but despite his mangled voice, McRiorand seemed to hear. His face turned purple, a thing he seemed to do often when he was around Will.

"It was a wonderful creature, it r..really was" Will continued with some difficulty, already beginning to formulate a cunning plan in his head "Marvellous, I wonder if the rest would h..have t..turned out like it..."

For one horrible moment, Will thought McRiorand missed the hint, but as the man seized his throat, he spotted a flicker of suspicion in his eyes.

"Others?" He questioned, releasing Will immediately "You mean...Of course! EGGS, SHE MUST HAVE HAD EGGS! She was a female, I remember...!"

_'Well, that's a stroke of luck'_ Will thought gleefully, furiously trying to piece his next words together in his mind. This was his last chance; if he mucked this up, he would be buried at Abecroth's local graveyard. If not, he might just have a chance to get out of the town..

"Eggs? No,no,no, I have no idea w..what you're talking about," Will interrupted hoarsely, trying valiantly to put a look of fear and uneasiness on his face. "Definitely no eggs, I swear there isn't-"

McRiorand's grinned triumphantly at him, standing with his arms akimbo, his chest thrust forward like a proud turkey.

"Oh no you don't, you scummy liar!" He chuckled, devilish triumph shining all over his face "Not so smart now are we? Let slip about offspring, didn't you? Oh-ho-ho, this is excellent indeed!"

Will forced himself to look horrified instead of beaming with delight. The plan was working, it was actually working! As long as he fed McRiorand the clues, everything would be fine. He just had to continue.

"No, no I swear on my grave.." Will protested half-heartedly before slumping his shoulders in fake defeat "Oh all right, but my mentor doesn't want anyone knowing about the eggs! No one knows where he hid them.."

"Really?," McRiorand growled, joy still dancing in his eyes as he studied Will wolfishly " Well, you're forgetting one thing, fool"

"A..and what's that?" Will asked, quivering slightly for extra effect. He was so close, McRiorand only needed to say what he desperately wanted to hear.

"I've got you under my disposal, you son of a goat herd!" McRiorand announced, leering at him "And you're going to show me where these eggs are. Unless you prefer disembowelment-"

Success! Will could barely prevent himself from jumping up and dancing around the room. He had just secured a definite way out of the castle! Now the only thing that remained was to stay alive until they visited the mountains, before slipping away.

"OK, OK...I...I yield" Will sighed dejectedly, ducking his head so McRiorand couldn't spot the jubilation in his eyes.

/*/*/*/*/

_**Araluen, two days later.**_

Crowley frowned at the Ranger who stood before him, before turning his gaze to the Pictish fellow beside him.

"Trouble in Abecroth?" Crowley questioned, staring thoughtfully at the soldier "And Halt's turned back?"

"It's what he says sir" The scrawny Ranger muttered in reply, also turning to stare at McPhill "Go on then! Tell him what you told me"

McPhill sighed impatiently before relaying Halt's message once more. Both man studied him intently when he finished, and it was enough to send a irritation coursing through his blood.

"Believe it or don't believe it, I don't give a damn" He growled, rubbing his hair irritably "Yer man wants help, are yer going ter give it to him or not?!"

Crowley narrowed his eyes, disliking his tone, but didn't say anything out loud. Springing into action, he jumped up from his chair, reinvigorated with new strength as he realised Halt was counting on them for backup.

"All right, we'll send help" He announced rigidly "Harker, send a message to everyone. Say that an emergency gathering will be taking place tomorrow-"

"Yes sir" Harker muttered gruffly, eyeing McRiorand up once more, before hurrying out of the room with his cloak billowing out behind him.

/*/

Barely twenty four hours later, thirty rangers had gathered by Lee stone's Creek, a hidden meadow settled behind a sprawling forest. Hardly anyone knew about it's existence, except the Rangers of course. The dishevelled group of men, young and old were restless and Crowley had spotted it at first glance. There was a definite feel of tension in the air as the stand-off with Picta grew with each passing day. Half the kingdom was preparing for war, and Halt's plight hadn't exactly helped matters.

One particular young Ranger was worrying excessively over the whole business, and Crowley was struggling to restore sense into him.

"But I have to go Crowley, they need my help!" Gilan was arguing, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Send me, I can work with Halt on a solution..."

"You're needed in your fief!" Crowley interrupted loudly "You have two roaming criminals, tensions, and riots from the villagers! You need to stay and sort it out!"

"There are only tensions and riots from the Picts, and it's no wonder why!" Gilan shot back, frustrated "Send another Ranger to my post, I really don't care! I need to help them! Don't you _understand?_!"

"Of course I do!" Crowley barked, beginning to lose his temper " Gilan, you-need-to-stay! I've already short-listed the men I'll send-"

"You don't get it at all!" Gilan interrupted, his chest heaving with emotion as he locked eyes with his commander " Crowley...please, they're like family! It's my fault Will ended up in Skandia-"

"No it wasn't.." Crowley began to interject sympathetically, but Gilan waved him off irritably.

"Yes it was, whether it was intentional or not" He snapped "I need to try and help them at least. Please commander, just put another man in my place! It's nothing you need particular skills to control.."

Crowley sighed, defeated. He might as well send Gilan anyway, otherwise he would never hear the end of it. He was as good as it could get, and Crowley knew that Halt would appreciate a familiar face in his situation.

"Fine, but you're going incognito" He muttered grimly. "Two weeks Gilan, that's the most you're going to have,"

"Oh, don't you worry sir" Gilan grinned, at ease once more "I'll find them in less than that"

* * *

**Chapter up! I've got a rough plan for the rest of the story in my head. I'm going to have my three favourite Rangers back together in the mountains, and I can't wait to write it out! It might seem fast paced for a while, probably ending at around chapter 20.**

**Anyways, back to the more important subject of the spectacular reviewers!**

**SpottedOwl88, I was waaaaaaaay more ecstatic than you when I saw your review! Great ideas, but Crowley's staying put at the moment.**

**Teithant, Yay, you liked it! Please keep reviewing, and any further grammar stuff can be sent to my PM, as always.**

**Savannah Silverstone, YES SHERLOCK IS AMAZING! This may seem out of place on a Ranger's apprentice fic, but my God I love that show! I hope you finish the series soon, but brace yourself for Reichenbach and the Empty Hearse. As for more whump...well, Will's not out of trouble yet!**

**Izwick, Hope you enjoyed the new episode as much as I did! The last episode's coming in a few days, and I'm terrified. Thanks for reading the story and I hope to hear more from you!**

**RainbowDragon12, Or Abby, Thanks! I'm not sure about my thoughts flowing well because I have twenty different directions I could take with the story, and it's kinda hard to keep the train going at times.**

**That's all from me, and a review would be much appreciated!**


End file.
